Matmo status upgraded to typhoon

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) announced yesterday that July 21 will be a key date for determining whether typhoon alerts will be issued on land and sea, as the tropical depression known as Matmo (麥德姆) was upgraded to typhoon status yesterday with no further sign of course alteration.

Matmo was observed to have become stronger at 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon. According to the CWB, the typhoon is currently located 1,600 kilometers southeast of Cape Eluanbi, 370 kilometers closer to Taiwan than the day before.

The CWB has stated that the typhoon is located at a body of water with a high temperature that could allow it to get stronger. However, the likelihood of Matmo upgrading to a strong-level typhoon is very small.

According to the latest potential path predictions, Matmo is currently approaching the body of water closest to the eastern part of Taiwan, moving west by southwest while turning northwest with 13 revolutions per minute at the speed of 18 kilometers per hour.

The direction and speed of Matmo will still likely make it the first typhoon to attack Taiwan this year. However, as changes are unpredictable, the CWB has stated that July 21 would be the critical day for the agency to predict the effect Matmo will have on the country.

The changes are dictated by the atmospheric environment of the Pacific Ocean, and should conditions be beneficial, the typhoon will migrate south, passing through only the southern body of water closest to Taiwan known as the Bashi Channel.

When the typhoon reaches the body of water east of the Philippine island of Luzon on July 21, the CWB has said that they will most likely issue a typhoon warning for those going out to sea. Coastal residents should also be aware of the possibility of rogue waves on that day.

The country will most likely be affected by the typhoon one way or another, the CWB said, with the eastern and northern parts of the country predicted to experience showers on July 22 and the rain estimated to affect the entire country on July 23.

Typhoon Rammasun Devastates China Provinces

News agencies in China have reported that Typhoon Rammasun (雷馬遜) has caused devastation to the provinces of Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi since landing on the provinces as a super-level typhoon.

Reportedly, the typhoon is thus far responsible for ending the lives of eight people as well as approximately NT$26.7 billion in economic losses. Reportedly, the Chinese government has needed to provide approximately 200,000 people from the provinces with emergency shelter.

The typhoon will continue passing through China, reports said, causing strong winds and heavy downpours in affected areas, with typhoon experts stating that the weather will likely to continue as the process by which Rammasun is attenuating in power seems to be happening at a slow pace.